This past Super Bowl Sunday, Jalen Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to their second Super Bowl title in a resounding 40-22 victory over the reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. With this, marks the end of the 2024-25 National Football League season and the beginning of a new work week for millions of Americans across the country.
Leading us towards the discussion of a cultural phenomenon that is deeply rooted in the big game known as National Sick Day. The Monday following Super Bowl Sunday where countless of Americans throughout the U.S. call out of work. Whether it is due to staying up too late watching the game or prolonged celebrations that carried on throughout the night, it is a very real thing. According to a poll conducted by the Workforce Institute at UKG, over 22 million Americans are expected to have called out of work on the Feb. 10.
I had the opportunity to speak with Emily Schmitz, a fourth-year university student, the day after the Super Bowl and ask her about her night. “I did not have the luxury of calling out of work or skipping class today. Last night was an eventful evening that was spent with friends and eating lots of food,” Schmitz said, lamenting the fact that she felt a little extra sluggish this past Monday; she completely understands the reasoning behind countless people opting to spend the day following the Super Bowl resting.
Leading us to beg the question as to whether this unofficial, yet official, holiday following the Super Bowl should be recognized by employers and universities alike throughout the country. The reasoning being it may be beneficial for employees to have a more transparent relationship within their organizations and the expectations that are set if millions of Americans are planning on calling out of work anyways.
Especially when considering the fact that there really are not many federal holidays during the first two months of the year, and it is incredibly easy to feel overworked and stressed early in the year. For many taking off the Monday following the Super Bowl is more than just feeling groggy or under the weather, but it is a chance to reset and mentally prepare yourself for the next stretch of the year leading up to spring break.
So, if you find yourself feeling burnt out or in need of break, consider having an open conversation with your manager about having some time off for yourself, even if all you really need is one extra day to sleep in and catch up on the latest stories revolving around the NFL and the next season.
Only time will tell whether employers around the country will find a way to consolidate the productivity losses that correlate with the big game. For the time being, I think we can all agree that it is a small price to pay so that we can enjoy one of the most anticipated broadcasted events of the year to its fullest.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.silva@und.edu.
